The best New Year's resolutions are ones that resonate with you and encourage you to achieve your goals. Looking at lists of ideas can help you brainstorm and create personalized resolutions.
Here are some examples of exceptional New Year's Resolutions:
Commit to volunteering
Declutter and organize your home (or life)
Read one book a month
Travel somewhere new
Stick to a personal budget for 1 year
Keep a journal or diary
Join a club or organization
Commit to a new hobby
Take up meditation or yoga
Start an exercise routine
Donate unused belongings
Make time for self-care
Learn a new language
Reconnect with old friends (or family)
Master a new life skill
Participate in a cultural event (new to you or not)
7 useful tips to help you keep your New Year's resolutions
1. Choose the right resolution
Choose your New Year's resolutions based on what you want to achieve in the new year, not what you think others want you to achieve. Forget what you see on your social media or what you read in giant lists of resolutions - pick goals and dreams that inspire you rather than trying to inspire yourself to meet the ideals of others.
The right New Year's resolution doesn't have to be serious or a lofty goal. Even funny or light-hearted New Year's resolutions can help you get and stay motivated in 2024. Whatever resolution you choose, make sure it's something you can see yourself committing to for an entire year.
2. Create a supportive environment
Without the right environment, it can be difficult to stick to New Year's resolutions that you're most passionate about. Work to eliminate temptations that could derail even the best-laid plans. Have an accountability partner, workout partner, or walking buddy as you know, being active is always more fun (while being accountable to one another) with someone! Your family, friends, and coworkers can help you stay on track and motivate you to meet your goals even on days when you feel like giving up.
3. Develop a detailed plan Once you've decided on the right New Year's resolution for you, set aside time to sit down and write out a plan. Your plan should have a clear beginning with steps to guide you through the year until you reach your goal and or hold you accountable to your resolutions. Use SMART goals, those that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based. Doing so will give your plan structure and help motivate you to reach your New Year's resolution in 2024. 4. Set a penalty for not sticking to your resolutions One of the most common reasons that New Year's resolutions fail is because people lose motivation or feel like their resolutions lack consequences. When you've finished a long day at work, it can be hard to convince yourself to work toward your goals if the positive incentive is far off in the future (like a healthier body or bank account). If you need an extra boost of motivation, consider implementing a penalty system for when you willfully ignore your resolutions. Perhaps you can only watch your favorite streaming television show if you work toward your resolution, and denying yourself from watching can be your penalty if you don’t put in the work. 5. Think of a reward for achieving your resolutions In the same way that having a penalty for ignoring your New Year's resolutions can be helpful to motivate you, it is extremely beneficial to give yourself a reward system. Find some way to reward yourself (in the short term and the long term) that fits within your budget, your free time, and your interests. Some affordable reward options include:
A date night in with your significant other
A visit to your favorite park, museum, or art gallery
Takeout from your favorite restaurant
A visit from a loved one or friend
A warm bath or at-home spa day
Watching your favorite TV show
6. Start by keeping one resolution at a time It can be extremely tempting to stack New Year's resolutions on top of each other and try to change every aspect of your life heading into 2024. However, it's much easier to stick to your resolution and give it 100% of your effort if you only choose one resolution at a time. If you know that you'll struggle to read a book every week, it wouldn't make sense to ask yourself to work out three times a week as well. Asking too much of yourself exposes you to burnout faster, which zaps your motivation and makes it difficult to achieve any of your New Year's resolutions. 7. Set a deadline for each resolution Another way to increase your success rate is to make sure you give your resolution a timeline. If your resolution is open-ended, such as "practice daily kindness to others," you can implement related goals with deadlines to hold yourself accountable. In this example, your deadlines could look like this: pay for a stranger's meal in the drive-thru by March, reach out to a distant family member or friend by June, and do a task or chore for an elderly neighbor by July. Even if your resolution doesn't seem to have clear deadlines, you can create milestones to accomplish along the way to help you stay motivated! Make your New Year's resolutions fun Remember that good New Year's resolution ideas are those that truly speak to you and inspire you. If you take the time to work out what your resolution entails and create a detailed plan with SMART Goals, you can be wildly successful with your resolutions! Reaching your resolution requires a good support system, rewards and penalties, and time-based goals to keep you on track. Make sure that your plan is realistic, but also challenges and inspires you. A great resolution is one that you'll need to work hard to achieve, but that you'll remember and be proud of completing for years to come.
We wish you a healthy, safe, and adventurous 2024!